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Scanning electron microscope characters and their systematic significance within Medicago L. sect. Dendrotelis (Fabaceae: Trifolieae)
Author(s) -
Juan A.,
Crespo M. B.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
feddes repertorium
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.24
H-Index - 25
eISSN - 1522-239X
pISSN - 0014-8962
DOI - 10.1002/fedr.200811198
Subject(s) - pollen , fabaceae , botany , taxon , biology , morphology (biology) , zoology
A morphological study of Medicago sect. Dendrotelis was undertaken by using scanning electron microscope (SEM). Upper and lower surface of leaves, stomata, surface of wings, exine and number of apertures of pollen and seed testa, show remarkable characters for distinguishing among taxa. The western Mediterranean endemism M. citrina is characterized by unique features related to pollen (4‐zonocolporate), surface of the upper basal and lower distal parts wing, and testa seed (reticules quite apparent). With regard to M. strasseri , the morphology of leaf cells, upper and lower distal part of wings and seed testa were useful for characterization. On the contrary, M. arborea shared most of characters with M. citrina (e.g. surface of leaves) or M. strasseri (e.g. pollen apertures), excepting the micromorphology of certain part of wings. Among all the studied characters, the surface of wings was found noticeable to characterize each taxa of Medicago sect . Dendrotelis . (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)